February 27, 2013

Friedman & Feiger partner fends off armed, would-be carjacker

On Tuesday night, Friedman & Feiger partner Melissa Kingston had just finished working late when she decided to make a stop in North Dallas. She was waiting at a stoplight in her convertible with the top down when a man approached her, pointed a handgun at her head and told her to move to the passenger’s seat, according to a Dallas Police Department offense report. He kept telling Kingston: “Sarah, you’re coming with me, move over,” the report notes.

He attempted to grab Kingston’s left arm and pull her out of the vehicle, so she took off her seat belt and acted like she was going to move over, the report continues. When he “dropped his guard” and lowered the handgun, Kingston swung open the passenger door and knocked him the man to the ground, according the report. Kingston then began kicking the man in the face and stomach; he crawled away as she got back into her car and drove home, the report states.

In an interview, Kingston says of the incident: “My wrist was hurt, but otherwise I’m fine. I got lucky.”

She declines to discuss the specifics of the incident because Dallas police have not yet made any arrests in the case. But she does have a suggestion for how to stay safe in such situations.

“I guess I would suggest people take self-defense courses,” Kingston says, adding she’s taken one herself. “It prepares you for situations like that,” she says.

How many carjackers call their victims by their first names? Perhaps she has personalized plates on her car. If he has hold of her left arm and is trying to get behind the wheel, how does she knock him down with the passemger door? Story is "interesting." Glad she is OK.

On Tuesday night, when the temperature was 48, Melissa Kingston in her convertible with the top down got carjacked as she was coming/going to a liquor store. She beat the tar out of the armed man (in self defense of course--evidenced by kicking him in the face and stomach). She then left the scene, drove home, calling the police 30 minutes later to report the crime. OK.